Myofascial Pelvic PainNCT05354869
Transvaginal Electrical Stimulation for Myofascial Pelvic Pain
A study testing Urostym in people with Myofascial Pelvic Pain, run by University of California, Los Angeles at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Myofascial Pelvic Pain (MPP) is a frequently overlooked musculoskeletal cause of chronic pelvic pain affecting 10-20% of all adult women. Despite high prevalence and societal costs, few effective treatments exist and are difficult to access due to shortages of skilled personnel. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 years, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Myofascial Pelvic Pain
- What is being tested?
- Urostym
- Type of treatment
- Medical device, Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 31 Oct 2022to Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Women between 18 and 65 years of age
- Pelvic pain for more than 6 months duration
- Report an average daily pain intensity score of at least 4 (on a 0 to 10 scale)
- Palpable trigger points in internal pelvic floor muscles on standardized myofascial pelvic floor exam
- Willing to refrain from new clinical treatments that may affect pain during the study period
Who cannot join
- Inability to participate in weekly clinic visits
- Prior invasive pelvic procedures for pain (e.g., prior pelvic surgery, sacroiliac joint injections, ganglion impar block, bladder instillations, sacral neuromodulation, intradetrusor or intramuscular Botox®)
- Active urinary tract infection (UTI) or vaginal infection
- Pregnancy, childbirth during the previous12 months, currently planning pregnancy
- Drug addiction
- Prior pelvic floor physical therapy
Show all 12Show fewer
- Malignancy or other serious medical condition (e.g., poorly controlled diabetes [Glycated hemoglobin (HgA1c) > 8], neurologic or rheumatic disease)
- Diagnosed with an alternate cause of pelvic pain (e.g., interstitial cystitis, dysmenorrhea/menorrhalgia, vestibulodynia, vulvar dermatoses)
- Urinary retention
- Greater than stage 3 pelvic organ prolapse
- Indwelling vaginal devices (e.g., vaginal pessary, contraceptive ring)
- Inability to sign an informed consent, fill out questionnaires, or complete study interviews
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
UCLA Center for Women's Pelvic Health
Los Angeles, California, 90095
A. Lenore Ackerman, MD, PhD, 8338252974, aackerman@mednet.ucla.edu
Katie Levitt, 310-794-6786, klevitt@mednet.ucla.edu
About this study
Official title: Repurposing Pelvic Floor Electrical Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Pelvic Pain
Myofascial Pelvic Pain (MPP) is a frequently overlooked musculoskeletal cause of chronic pelvic pain affecting 10-20% of all adult women. Despite high prevalence and societal costs, few effective treatments exist and are difficult to access due to shortages of skilled personnel. Treatments for MPP using electrical stimulation to induce muscle fatigue have proven efficacy at reducing pain, improving circulation, and promoting tissue healing, but have proven difficult to implement in gynecologic practice. The aim of this three-arm randomized study is to evaluate the utility of transvaginal electrical stimulation at a fixed frequency of 200 Hz in women with symptomatic MPP in comparison to the standard, first-line treatment with education, stretching, and low-impact exercise.
Nursing staff without prior training will be taught to deliver this high-frequency transvaginal electrical stimulation (HF-TES) treatment using the device. Responses to treatment provided by a specialist physician and licensed vocational nurse will be compared. Patients with >50% pain improvement will determine the effectiveness of HF-TES. Responses to treatment provided by a specialist physician and licensed vocational nurse will also be compared. Participants will be followed for 3 months following treatment completion.
Read the detailed description
This will be a prospective randomized trial. Sixty subjects with suspected myofascial pelvic pain will be recruited from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Center for Women's Pelvic Health. Patients will be informed of the opportunity to participate in this study by their clinician during routine office visits after a diagnosis of interstitial cystitis or bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is assigned. Interested subjects will be screened for eligibility and allowed as much time as they wish to complete informed consent. MPP subjects who meet inclusion/exclusion criteria will be approached for study inclusion and randomized 2:1 to high frequency transvaginal electrical stimulation (HF-TES) vs. usual care. Baseline demographics and clinical data, including age, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, past surgeries, and medications, including hormones, will be captured at enrollment. History will include comprehensive characterization of the pain. Standard examination will include vaginal speculum and bimanual pelvic exam, assessment of pelvic floor myofascial pain and trigger points, pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) and vulvovaginal Q-tip testing. Urine culture and post-void residual will rule out infection and urinary retention.
After providing informed consent, subjects will complete the female Genitourinary Pain Index (fGUPI), Colorectal Functional Outcome questionnaire (COREFO), International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-fLUTS), and Pelvic Floor Distress Index (PFDI-20), the Vulvar and Vaginal Assessment Scales (VuAS and VAS) and Female Sexual Functional Index (FSFI) to measure visceral pelvic symptoms. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Short Form 12 (SF-12) will assess symptom impact on physical and mental quality of life. As no validated measures assess myofascial pelvic pain specifically, the McGill Pain Questionnaire will provide additional pain characterization. Two 24-hour voiding and bowel diaries will be completed at baseline, capturing frequency of voids and defecation, episodes of urinary or bowel urgency or incontinence, stool type, and fluid intake levels. At 1-2 weeks and 3 months (±10 days) after completing treatment, the investigators will reacquire baseline measures (including voiding and bowel diaries) as well as the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I), satisfaction with treatment (Likert scale: 0 = not satisfied to 10 = completely satisfied) and a binary assessment of meaningful benefit from treatment (yes/no).
Participants will be randomized to receive usual care or usual care and HF-TES administered by either a specialized urogynecology provider or licensed vocational nurse (LVN) using a secure online randomization system. Minimization will balance trial group assignments according to the presence or absence of sexual dysfunction (FSFI total score <26), psychological distress (HADS total score > 10) and current hormonal medication use (yes/no). Trial group assignments will be made after initial counseling orienting the patient to usual care to avoid undue bias during the education session and training in usual care.
Treatment will be 8 weeks in duration. Therapy will be performed by a trained, registered LVN or physician, and any adverse evens, patient complains or study attrition due to perceived side effects reported immediately. There will be a post-treatment assessment, repeating pelvic floor exam, symptomatic and patient global impression of improvement surveys. A 3 month post-treatment symptomatic assessment will take place to complete determination of treatment outcomes.
- Conditions
- Myofascial Pelvic Pain
- Being tested
- Urostym, Standard care
- Keywords
- high frequency transvaginal electrical stimulation, pelvic floor, chronic pelvic pain, muscle fatigue
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
UrostymDevice
Also called Hi frequency transvaginal electrical stimulation
electric pelvic floor muscle stimulator
Standard careBehavioural
Also called usual care
patient education on home exercises and stretching
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Usual Care | Active comparator | The current standard, first line treatment for MPP is a program of education, home exercises, and stretching. At enrollment, subjects will be counseled about the origins of myofascial pain in a one-on-one setting with the aid of informational handouts. They will be counseled about specific practices, such as Kegel exercises, volitional holding of urine or stool, and intensive exercise, that aggravate pelvic floor hypertonicity. They will be counseled about appropriate hydration and maintaining an adequate bowel regimen to avoid constipation. A stretching regimen aimed at abdominal and pelvic muscle release with elements of self-massage should be performed three times daily. Lastly, subjects will be prescribed 20 minutes of walking daily. Subjects will be recommended to continue this long-term, self-care program indefinitely. Receives: Behavioral: Standard care |
| HF-TES by LVN | Active comparator | In-office pulsed HF-TES will be delivered by licensed vocational nurse using the Urostym® clinic-based Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation System. An LVN will undergo didactic and practical training, which will include a detailed orientation to the device.
Sessions of electric muscle stimulation will be performed at a frequency of 200 Hz (to induce a passive pelvic floor muscle contraction) for 20 min weekly using a pulse duration of 1 ms of stimulation and an interpulse interval of 4.1 ms. Stimulation intensity (current) will be adjusted manually to palpable, but not painful, stimulation. Vaginal and surface abdominal electromyographic monitoring (EMG) will be conducted throughout the treatment session, recording the average pre- and post-treatment values for each session. In subjects whose pelvic floor EMG does not normalize to <4 millielectronvolts (mV) in a 20-minute session, the subsequent session will be increased to 30 minutes. Receives: Device: Urostym |
| HF-TES by Physician | Active comparator | A urogynecologic specialist will deliver HF-TES in office using Urostym® pelvic floor rehabilitation system. A physician will undergo didactic and practical training, which will include a detailed orientation to the device.
Sessions of electric muscle stimulation will be performed at a frequency of 200 Hz (to induce a passive pelvic floor muscle contraction) for 20 min weekly using a pulse duration of 1 ms of stimulation and an interpulse interval of 4.1 ms. Stimulation intensity (current) will be adjusted manually to palpable, but not painful, stimulation. Vaginal and surface abdominal electromyographic monitoring (EMG) will be conducted throughout the treatment session, recording the average pre- and post-treatment values for each session. In subjects whose pelvic floor EMG does not normalize to <4 millielectronvolts (mV) in a 20-minute session, the subsequent session will be increased to 30 minutes. Receives: Device: Urostym |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change of myofascial pelvic pain symptoms
The primary outcome will measure a change in pain on the 11-point Numeric Pain Rating Scale, where the minimum value of 0 indicates no pain and the maximum value of 10 indicates worse possible pain. Higher scores are associated with a worse outcome. Positive outcomes would have a 2-point reduction in mean pain intensity from baseline to post-treatment.
Measured: 8 weeks of treatment
Patient perception of treatment delivery by an LVN in comparison to specialist MD
Patients will complete the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) questionnaire, where the minimum value of 1 indicates a "very much better" change in pain and the maximum value of 7 indicates a "very much worse" change in pain. Responses will be compared between the two provider groups.
Measured: 8 weeks of treatment
Patient satisfaction with treatment delivery by an LVN in comparison to specialist MD
The investigators will use a Likert scale that measures satisfaction with treatment, where 0 = not satisfied and 10 = completely satisfied. Scores between the LVN and MD group will be compared.
Measured: 8 weeks of treatment
Benefit of therapy
Patients will answer a binary assessment of benefit from therapy with Yes or No response options. Yes responses will indicate patients found therapy beneficial whereas No responses will indicate therapy was not found beneficial. Responses will be compared between provider groups.
Measured: 8 weeks of treatment
Secondary outcomes (6)
Change in bothersome visceral bowel symptoms
Patients will complete standardized, validated symptoms questionnaires assessing bowel, bladder, genital, and sexual symptoms and pain features and severity. The Colorectal Functional Outcome questionnaire (COREFO) will assess change in bothersome bowel symptoms, using 27 questions with a score range from 0 to 100. Higher scores will indicate poor function. A score greater than 15 will be considered symptomatic. Results of this questionnaire will be compared between providers.
Measured: 8 weeks
Change in bothersome visceral bladder symptoms
Patients will complete standardized, validated symptoms questionnaires assessing bowel, bladder, genital, and sexual symptoms and pain features and severity. The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ - FLUTS) will assess change in bothersome bladder urinary symptoms, using 24 questions with a score range from 0 to 48. Higher scores indicate poor bladder function. Questionnaire responses will be compared between providers.
Measured: 8 weeks
Change in bothersome visceral sexual symptoms
Patients will complete 19 questions from the female sexual functional index (FSFI) with each question having a Likert scale of 0 (No sexual activity) to 5 (almost always or always) to measure sexual function. Scores may range from 0-36. Higher scores will indicate positive outcomes. Questionnaire responses will be compared between providers.
Measured: 8 weeks
Change in bothersome visceral genital symptoms
Patients will complete 8 questions from Vulvar and Vaginal Assessment scales (VuAS and VAS) to measure genital symptoms with scale from 0 (no symptoms) to 3 (severe symptoms). Total scores may range between 0-24. Higher scores will be associated with worse outcomes. Patient responses will be compared between provider groups.
Measured: 8 weeks
Change in pain severity
Patients will complete 20 questions from Pelvic Floor Distress Index (PFDI-20) to assess discomfort severity in bowel, bladder, or pelvic symptoms. Scores may range from 0-80 with scale of 0 (no) to 4 (Quite a bit). Higher scores will be associated with worse outcomes. Patient responses will be compared between provider groups.
Measured: 8 weeks
Change in pain features
Patients will complete 9 questions from the Female Genitourinary Pain Index (fGUPI). Total scores may range from 0-45. Higher scores will be associated with worse outcomes. Scales may have a minimum value of 0 (None) and a maximum value of 10 (Pain as bad as you can imagine). Patient responses will be compared between provider groups.
Measured: 8 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 May 2022
- Study start31 Oct 2022
- Primary completionDec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (6)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Myofascial Pelvic PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of California, Los AngelesThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants will be randomized to receive usual care or usual care and hi frequency transvaginal electrical stimulation administered by either a specialized urogynecology provider or licensed vocational nurse(LVN) using a secure online randomization system.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, Los Angeles
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Anne Lenore Ackerman, University of California, Los Angeles
- Investigators
- A. Lenore Ackerman, MD, PhD, Principal investigator, University of California, Los Angeles
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05354869
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 22-000062
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 11 Jan 2022
- Last updated
- 13 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Morris L, Newton RA. Use of high voltage pulsed galvanic stimulation for patients with levator ani syndrome. Phys Ther. 1987 Oct;67(10):1522-5. doi: 10.1093/ptj/67.10.1522.
PubMed 3310051Nicosia JF, Abcarian H. Levator syndrome. A treatment that works. Dis Colon Rectum. 1985 Jun;28(6):406-8. doi: 10.1007/BF02560224.
PubMed 3874049Sohn N, Weinstein MA, Robbins RD. The levator syndrome and its treatment with high-voltage electrogalvanic stimulation. Am J Surg. 1982 Nov;144(5):580-2. doi: 10.1016/0002-9610(82)90586-4.
PubMed 6182809Billingham RP, Isler JT, Friend WG, Hostetler J. Treatment of levator syndrome using high-voltage electrogalvanic stimulation. Dis Colon Rectum. 1987 Aug;30(8):584-7. doi: 10.1007/BF02554802.
PubMed 3497787Stewart F, Berghmans B, Bo K, Glazener CM. Electrical stimulation with non-implanted devices for stress urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Dec 22;12(12):CD012390. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012390.pub2.
PubMed 29271482Bernier F, Davila GW. The treatment of nonobstructive urinary retention with high-frequency transvaginal electrical stimulation. Urol Nurs. 2000 Aug;20(4):261-4.
PubMed 11998089
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Repurposing Pelvic Floor Electrical Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Pelvic Pain
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05354869
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 22-000062
- Conditions
- Myofascial Pelvic Pain
- Keywords
- high frequency transvaginal electrical stimulation, pelvic floor, chronic pelvic pain, muscle fatigue
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, Los AngelesUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 31 Oct 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 2 May 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Myofascial Pelvic Pain (MPP) is a frequently overlooked musculoskeletal cause of chronic pelvic pain affecting 10-20% of all adult women. Despite high prevalence and societal costs, few effective treatments exist and are difficult to access due to shortages of skilled personnel. Treatments for MPP using electrical stimulation to induce muscle fatigue have proven efficacy at reducing pain, improving circulation, and promoting tissue healing, but have proven difficult to implement in gynecologic practice. The aim of this three-arm randomized study is to evaluate the utility of transvaginal electrical stimulation at a fixed frequency of 200 Hz in women with symptomatic MPP in comparison to the standard, first-line treatment with education, stretching, and low-impact exercise.
Nursing staff without prior training will be taught to deliver this high-frequency transvaginal electrical stimulation (HF-TES) treatment using the device. Responses to treatment provided by a specialist physician and licensed vocational nurse will be compared. Patients with >50% pain improvement will determine the effectiveness of HF-TES. Responses to treatment provided by a specialist physician and licensed vocational nurse will also be compared. Participants will be followed for 3 months following treatment completion.
Detailed description
This will be a prospective randomized trial. Sixty subjects with suspected myofascial pelvic pain will be recruited from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Center for Women's Pelvic Health. Patients will be informed of the opportunity to participate in this study by their clinician during routine office visits after a diagnosis of interstitial cystitis or bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is assigned. Interested subjects will be screened for eligibility and allowed as much time as they wish to complete informed consent. MPP subjects who meet inclusion/exclusion criteria will be approached for study inclusion and randomized 2:1 to high frequency transvaginal electrical stimulation (HF-TES) vs. usual care. Baseline demographics and clinical data, including age, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, past surgeries, and medications, including hormones, will be captured at enrollment. History will include comprehensive characterization of the pain. Standard examination will include vaginal speculum and bimanual pelvic exam, assessment of pelvic floor myofascial pain and trigger points, pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) and vulvovaginal Q-tip testing. Urine culture and post-void residual will rule out infection and urinary retention.
After providing informed consent, subjects will complete the female Genitourinary Pain Index (fGUPI), Colorectal Functional Outcome questionnaire (COREFO), International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-fLUTS), and Pelvic Floor Distress Index (PFDI-20), the Vulvar and Vaginal Assessment Scales (VuAS and VAS) and Female Sexual Functional Index (FSFI) to measure visceral pelvic symptoms. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Short Form 12 (SF-12) will assess symptom impact on physical and mental quality of life. As no validated measures assess myofascial pelvic pain specifically, the McGill Pain Questionnaire will provide additional pain characterization. Two 24-hour voiding and bowel diaries will be completed at baseline, capturing frequency of voids and defecation, episodes of urinary or bowel urgency or incontinence, stool type, and fluid intake levels. At 1-2 weeks and 3 months (±10 days) after completing treatment, the investigators will reacquire baseline measures (including voiding and bowel diaries) as well as the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I), satisfaction with treatment (Likert scale: 0 = not satisfied to 10 = completely satisfied) and a binary assessment of meaningful benefit from treatment (yes/no).
Participants will be randomized to receive usual care or usual care and HF-TES administered by either a specialized urogynecology provider or licensed vocational nurse (LVN) using a secure online randomization system. Minimization will balance trial group assignments according to the presence or absence of sexual dysfunction (FSFI total score <26), psychological distress (HADS total score > 10) and current hormonal medication use (yes/no). Trial group assignments will be made after initial counseling orienting the patient to usual care to avoid undue bias during the education session and training in usual care.
Treatment will be 8 weeks in duration. Therapy will be performed by a trained, registered LVN or physician, and any adverse evens, patient complains or study attrition due to perceived side effects reported immediately. There will be a post-treatment assessment, repeating pelvic floor exam, symptomatic and patient global impression of improvement surveys. A 3 month post-treatment symptomatic assessment will take place to complete determination of treatment outcomes.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- Participants will be randomized to receive usual care or usual care and hi frequency transvaginal electrical stimulation administered by either a specialized urogynecology provider or licensed vocational nurse(LVN) using a secure online randomization system.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Usual Care | Active comparator | Behavioral: Standard careThe current standard, first line treatment for MPP is a program of education, home exercises, and stretching. At enrollment, subjects will be counseled about the origins of myofascial pain in a one-on-one setting with the aid of informational handouts. They will be counseled about specific practices, such as Kegel exercises, volitional holding of urine or stool, and intensive exercise, that aggravate pelvic floor hypertonicity. They will be counseled about appropriate hydration and maintaining an adequate bowel regimen to avoid constipation. A stretching regimen aimed at abdominal and pelvic muscle release with elements of self-massage should be performed three times daily. Lastly, subjects will be prescribed 20 minutes of walking daily. Subjects will be recommended to continue this long-term, self-care program indefinitely. |
| HF-TES by LVN | Active comparator | Device: UrostymIn-office pulsed HF-TES will be delivered by licensed vocational nurse using the Urostym® clinic-based Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation System. An LVN will undergo didactic and practical training, which will include a detailed orientation to the device. Sessions of electric muscle stimulation will be performed at a frequency of 200 Hz (to induce a passive pelvic floor muscle contraction) for 20 min weekly using a pulse duration of 1 ms of stimulation and an interpulse interval of 4.1 ms. Stimulation intensity (current) will be adjusted manually to palpable, but not painful, stimulation. Vaginal and surface abdominal electromyographic monitoring (EMG) will be conducted throughout the treatment session, recording the average pre- and post-treatment values for each session. In subjects whose pelvic floor EMG does not normalize to <4 millielectronvolts (mV) in a 20-minute session, the subsequent session will be increased to 30 minutes. |
| HF-TES by Physician | Active comparator | Device: UrostymA urogynecologic specialist will deliver HF-TES in office using Urostym® pelvic floor rehabilitation system. A physician will undergo didactic and practical training, which will include a detailed orientation to the device. Sessions of electric muscle stimulation will be performed at a frequency of 200 Hz (to induce a passive pelvic floor muscle contraction) for 20 min weekly using a pulse duration of 1 ms of stimulation and an interpulse interval of 4.1 ms. Stimulation intensity (current) will be adjusted manually to palpable, but not painful, stimulation. Vaginal and surface abdominal electromyographic monitoring (EMG) will be conducted throughout the treatment session, recording the average pre- and post-treatment values for each session. In subjects whose pelvic floor EMG does not normalize to <4 millielectronvolts (mV) in a 20-minute session, the subsequent session will be increased to 30 minutes. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Women between 18 and 65 years of age
- Pelvic pain for more than 6 months duration
- Report an average daily pain intensity score of at least 4 (on a 0 to 10 scale)
- Palpable trigger points in internal pelvic floor muscles on standardized myofascial pelvic floor exam
- Willing to refrain from new clinical treatments that may affect pain during the study period
Key exclusion criteria (12 listed)
- Inability to participate in weekly clinic visits
- Prior invasive pelvic procedures for pain (e.g., prior pelvic surgery, sacroiliac joint injections, ganglion impar block, bladder instillations, sacral neuromodulation, intradetrusor or intramuscular Botox®)
- Active urinary tract infection (UTI) or vaginal infection
- Pregnancy, childbirth during the previous12 months, currently planning pregnancy
- Drug addiction
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| UrostymAlso: Hi frequency transvaginal electrical stimulationelectric pelvic floor muscle stimulator | Device | HF-TES by LVN, HF-TES by Physician |
| Standard careAlso: usual carepatient education on home exercises and stretching | Behavioural | Usual Care |
Primary outcome
Change of myofascial pelvic pain symptoms
Time frame: 8 weeks of treatment
The primary outcome will measure a change in pain on the 11-point Numeric Pain Rating Scale, where the minimum value of 0 indicates no pain and the maximum value of 10 indicates worse possible pain. Higher scores are associated with a worse outcome. Positive outcomes would have a 2-point reduction in mean pain intensity from baseline to post-treatment.
Patient perception of treatment delivery by an LVN in comparison to specialist MD
Time frame: 8 weeks of treatment
Patients will complete the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) questionnaire, where the minimum value of 1 indicates a "very much better" change in pain and the maximum value of 7 indicates a "very much worse" change in pain. Responses will be compared between the two provider groups.
Patient satisfaction with treatment delivery by an LVN in comparison to specialist MD
Time frame: 8 weeks of treatment
The investigators will use a Likert scale that measures satisfaction with treatment, where 0 = not satisfied and 10 = completely satisfied. Scores between the LVN and MD group will be compared.
Benefit of therapy
Time frame: 8 weeks of treatment
Patients will answer a binary assessment of benefit from therapy with Yes or No response options. Yes responses will indicate patients found therapy beneficial whereas No responses will indicate therapy was not found beneficial. Responses will be compared between provider groups.
6 secondary outcomes
Change in bothersome visceral bowel symptoms
Time frame: 8 weeks
Change in bothersome visceral bladder symptoms
Time frame: 8 weeks
Change in bothersome visceral sexual symptoms
Time frame: 8 weeks
Change in bothersome visceral genital symptoms
Time frame: 8 weeks
Change in pain severity
Time frame: 8 weeks
Change in pain features
Time frame: 8 weeks
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Apr 2026.
- Background: PubMed 3310051Morris L, Newton RA. Use of high voltage pulsed galvanic stimulation for patients with levator ani syndrome. Phys Ther. 1987 Oct;67(10):1522-5. doi: 10.1093/ptj/67.10.1522.
- Background: PubMed 3874049Nicosia JF, Abcarian H. Levator syndrome. A treatment that works. Dis Colon Rectum. 1985 Jun;28(6):406-8. doi: 10.1007/BF02560224.
- Background: PubMed 6182809Sohn N, Weinstein MA, Robbins RD. The levator syndrome and its treatment with high-voltage electrogalvanic stimulation. Am J Surg. 1982 Nov;144(5):580-2. doi: 10.1016/0002-9610(82)90586-4.
- Background: PubMed 3497787Billingham RP, Isler JT, Friend WG, Hostetler J. Treatment of levator syndrome using high-voltage electrogalvanic stimulation. Dis Colon Rectum. 1987 Aug;30(8):584-7. doi: 10.1007/BF02554802.
- Background: PubMed 29271482Stewart F, Berghmans B, Bo K, Glazener CM. Electrical stimulation with non-implanted devices for stress urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Dec 22;12(12):CD012390. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012390.pub2.
- Background: PubMed 11998089Bernier F, Davila GW. The treatment of nonobstructive urinary retention with high-frequency transvaginal electrical stimulation. Urol Nurs. 2000 Aug;20(4):261-4.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
A. Lenore Ackerman, MD, PhD principal investigator
University of California, Los Angeles
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Urostym in people with Myofascial Pelvic Pain, run by University of California, Los Angeles at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 12 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact A. Lenore Ackerman, MD, PhD (833-825-2974, aackerman@mednet.ucla.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change of myofascial pelvic pain symptoms (time frame: 8 weeks of treatment). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05354869, which also lists 6 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Apr 2026.